The Undergraduate Major in Philosophy (48 total units)
At UCSB there are two tracks (“concentrations”) that lead to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. The Core Philosophy Track exposes the student to a wide range of philosophical issues and areas and to the major philosophers in the tradition. It is designed for students who seek thorough and rigorous training in philosophy either as a step towards graduate study in philosophy or as a way of mastering a discipline at the undergraduate level. The Ethics and Public Policy Track is designed for students who intend to pursue careers in law, government, and medicine, and in general for those who are interested in moral and legal problems confronting the community and in the responsibilities of the various professions.
For preparation in the major in either track, the student may take up to three lower-division courses in Philosophy. For the Core Philosophy Track, the lower-division history of philosophy courses (Philosophy 20A, 20B, and 20C) are especially appropriate for this preparation whereas for the Ethics and Public Policy Track, the lower-division ethics courses (Philosophy 4 and 7) are especially appropriate.
All majors, regardless of track, are required to take an introductory course in symbolic logic (Philosophy 183).
Students in the Core Philosophy Track are required to take three courses in the major areas of philosophy (Ethics, Theory of Knowledge, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Mind, and Metaphysics) and three courses in the history of philosophy whereas students in the Ethics and Public Policy Track are required to take Philosophy 100A (Ethics) and a course in one of the other major areas of philosophy as well as four additional courses in ethics (broadly construed to include social and political philosophy). See the major sheets (linked below) for the specific courses that meet these area requirements.
In either track, electives fill the remainder of the major to bring the total units to at least 48 with at least 36 of these in upper-division courses. For elective work there are many options. Students preparing for graduate study in philosophy are especially encouraged to take more advanced courses in logic, the major areas, and the history of philosophy. Since philosophy is a discipline that shares the interests and concerns of many other fields, you may want to pursue interests in these other areas philosophically; you may study Philosophy of Religion, of Science, of History, of Mathematics, and of Law; Aesthetics, Philosophical Psychology, and Philosophy in Literature. You may also want to take courses on issues of special interest, such as the freedom of the will, or punishment and responsibility; or to study areas such as Existentialism. Up to 4 units in the Core Philosophy track and 8 units in the Ethics and Public Policy track may be taken from courses in a cognate department, subject to the approval of the undergraduate adviser. Normally, your upper-division work will be done in small classes where the emphasis will be on class discussion and on writing.
All courses that apply to the major must be completed on a letter-grade basis.
Regulations for the Core Philosophy Track and the Ethics and Public Policy Track are listed in the General Catalog.
2024-2025 Core Philosophy Degree Sheet
2023-2024 Core Philosophy Degree Sheet